Worthless Rhythm Is Our Guide: TSCC
by Whedonist
Summary: Happy International Day of Femslash - this is a set of shorts featuring various characters set to the rhythm of a few songs from The Black Keys.


**Title:** Worthless Rhythm Is Our Guide  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> The majority of the characters contained herein do not belong to me. They belong to other people and I'm just using them for a little bit of recreational fun. No harm. No foul. No monies made…  
><strong>Fandom:<strong> TSCC  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> Cameron/Sarah  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG-13  
><strong>Summary:<strong> A set of shorts featuring Cameron, Sarah and various characters set to the rhythm of a few songs from The Black Keys.

**A/N:** Happy International Day of Femslash! I can't participate in Con festivities, but I hope everyone has a good time. This bit is my contribution to celebrate today. I hope that if you read, you enjoy what I've done, some is A.U. and some is centered around canon.

* * *

><p><strong>Next Girl <strong>

Strange things happen when you start running for your life, from the law and a near inevitable future at the age of 19. Sarah won't bother to mention or even think about the assassin that still features a starring role in her nightmares after all these years. Most of the time he stands next to John, holding him while the mushroom cloud blossomed.

Things, a lot of things, take a back burner too, when you know you're responsible for the fate of mankind and its destined leader. It's why she never thought twice about falling into bed with whomever she felt a connection to. She wasn't picky, fleeting or not, a day, a week or sometimes, but rarely, longer, she was grateful for the bit of companionship that she could stand.

She clearly remembers the last girl that caused her reed to sway in that particular direction, Abbie Adams. The girl had assured her at the time it was her real name. She found it hard to believe; Sarah's name at the time was as real as the dusty, faded ficus in the corner of the bar where they met. It just wasn't genuine. Much like herself, Abbie was hard edges and little bullshit. She had strong hands and broad shoulders, deep brown eyes and sandy blonde hair. The other woman was fun, uninhibited and provided Sarah with what she needed at the time: escape.

All in, it was wonderful while it lasted.

This time it was different. This time reason, common sense and what should have been an instinctual need to run for her life abandoned her with only a single word.

With Cameron's uttered, "Please." It proved to be Sarah's undoing.

Maybe tomorrow in the wake of cooling sheets and calmer hearts she would find the reason she lacked tonight.

* * *

><p><strong>She's Long Gone<strong>

Her systems check gave Cameron nothing. No glitches, errors or system malfunctions. Everything was online and working fine. She could find no explanation as to why she left her post at John's school. She practically ran from her Algebra class, left John unprotected and was now currently speeding towards their home. Her scans helped her avoid police detection as she pushed sixty, sometimes, seventy miles an hour on the surface streets.

A directive, one she couldn't sort out, overrode everything else in her system.

She took the street corner on nearly two wheels as she turned down their street. Slamming the Jeep into park, she left it running idle in the driveway. "Sarah!" Cameron called out as she clambered up the steps and threw the door open. "Sarah!" Cameron called out again.

"Cameron?" Sarah's voice carried from the back of the house.

Running towards the kitchen, Cameron stopped short in the entryway. She saw Sarah sitting at the kitchen table, blueprints spread around her, a luke warm cup of coffee off to her right. A thin eyebrow was raised in question. Cameron couldn't respond.

* * *

><p><strong>Tighten Up<strong>

December 26, 2010 - Avon, Colorado

Cameron did a cursory sweep of the area as Sarah pulled the car up to the building. The night was cold, quiet and on the surface, peaceful. A deeper scan revealed nothing but a pervading image of serenity as well.

"How did I let you talk me into this, girlie?" Sarah asked as she looked out at the hotel and the light dusting of snowflakes that began falling a few minutes ago.

Cameron gave her a shrug in response. "I don't believe I had to talk you into anything."

Sarah's mouth curled up into what Cameron came to recognize as amusement. "I disagree."

A smirk firmed on the terminator's mouth as she looked at her partner with a slight tilt to her head. "So you're saying that stopping Skynet, averting Judgment Day and finally admitting that you're warm for my form was not good enough reasons to celebrate?"

"Warm for your form?" Sarah snickered.

"Yes," Cameron confirmed, "That is what is said by people when they are attracted to someone's physicality."

"Who?" Sarah regretted asking as soon as the question passed her lips.

"Puck said," Cameron answered matter of factly.

Sarah shook her head and exited the car mumbling, "I'm cutting off the cable when we get home."

* * *

><p><strong>These Days<strong>

Bare feet slid across the cloth covered floor of the eight by ten foot room, leaned muscled arms hugged the knees that were drawn up to a shuddering chest. The aged padding grated against the exposed skin on Sarah's shoulders so she leaned forward, resting her chin on top of her knees.

She thought back to the past few years, before they took her…

Again.

There was John and Cameron.

They had a home. They were making progress against the war on Skynet. John was getting on better, less petulant teenager, more mature. She was happier, happier than she ever remembered being. Part of that was due to Cameron. The last memory she had was falling asleep in her Tin Miss' arms. The next was her waking up in this Godforsaken place.

When she woke up here, the days began to bleed together. The memories of that time have become more hazy, gauzy. Some days, it feels like all of it before this was a dream. She'd like to get back to the before.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm Not the One<strong>

"No," Cameron barked.

Sarah spun around at the tone of the terminator's voice. "Tin Miss, this doesn't concern you," the woman menaced.

"Mom, I…"

"John, this isn't open for discussion," Sarah snapped and then ran a hand through her hair.

"You aren't going," Cameron tried again, "You're putting yourself at risk for nothing."

"If they help us find the Turk…" Sarah ground out.

"Take Cameron," John interjected. "Look it'll be good to have back up."

"Just in case," Cameron reasoned as she checked the gun at the small of her back to make sure the magazine was full.

"Fine," Sarah snapped as she snatched the keys off the kitchen counter, "Let's go, girlie!"

Not needing the additional encouragement Cameron scrambled after the elder Connor.

As she shut the door to the Jeep, Sarah spun her way and spat, "I don't need you protecting me!"

Unaffected by the vitriol directed her way, Cameron stared her down and stated, "I want to."

* * *

><p><strong>Sinister Kid<strong>

Sarah eyed her son as he played with the spaghetti on his plate. The restaurant he insisted they go to was only slightly crowded for a Thursday night and that made Sarah grateful. Her nerves were ragged and she wasn't sure how much she could actually take tonight. John was supposed to go to a friend's house for a study session, but it was canceled at the last minute...much to her annoyance.

She was supposed to have the evening alone - alone with Cameron. Instead she got family fun night with her surly teenage son and her cybernetic girlfriend that on paper was her step-daughter.

Yes, Sarah understood her life was just this side of fucked up, but since Cameron made it perfectly clear she wanted Sarah and Sarah was the pursuee not pursuer, she couldn't seem to care. Cameron wasn't her daughter, wasn't even close to being her daughter and Cameron made sure Sarah knew the feelings was mutual.

They just couldn't break it to John.

So Sarah sulked as Cameron and her son carried on a conversation.

"Mom?" John called out causing Sarah to look up from her gnocchi. "Next time you make plans, don't leave message oil and," he stopped and then choked out, "handcuffs in the bathroom."

* * *

><p><strong>All You Ever Wanted<strong>

"You spend your entire life, running, fighting trying to stop these things," Sarah slightly slurred to the person next to her. She squinted trying to discern a clear picture of the man with the blue flannel shirt and black slacks. It didn't really matter. Sarah wasn't even sure he was listening, but she needed to talk. "You fight you know?"

"Hmm, hmm," the man rumbled next to her.

"So what happens?" Sarah griped taking another healthy drink of her tequila. "One comes in, comes in to your life," her finger angles down and jabs the grimy surface of the bar, "and demands...demands!" Sarah's voice hiked slightly on the last syllable, "that they're not leaving because they're there for you!"

Disbelief shakes both heads.

"Whatcha gonna do?" the man asked, his voice deep and gravely.

Sarah shook her head more. "Then, you know what else they do?"

"What?"

"They make you fall in love with them," she whined.

The man commiserated with her and agreed, "Well ain't that about a bitch?"

Sighing, she ran a hand through her hair and shrugged. The fight finally leaving her. "You run and you fight, but in the end, she's really all I've ever wanted."


End file.
